That’s what Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard will have to contend with in his senior season, and opposing Big Ten Conference coaches and players are already plotting against him.

Last year, Beathard was unknown to most of the country, a fourth-year junior handed the reins to the Hawkeyes offense after making just one start. He had no tendencies, no minuscule flaws that Big Ten teams could tease out and exploit by watching game film.

“The year before, we played Jake Rudock,” Wisconsin cornerback Sojourn Shelton said Tuesday, referring to the Iowa quarterback who transferred to Michigan when Beathard took his starting spot. “We knew from watching (Iowa’s first four) games that (Beathard) was a good quarterback, and that was just a chance for us to see for ourselves. He played big that game, and they were able to come out with a victory.”

That was in the Big Ten opener, a 10-6 victory in Madison in which Beathard threw for a mere 77 yards and a single touchdown. He also had a 16-yard gain running, though, and left Shelton with some vital knowledge that he’ll use in the rematch Oct. 22 in Iowa City.

“You try your best to contain him inside and he’ll break a run here and there and that’s what kind of opens up so much for the offense,” Shelton said. “They have a strong running game, so he can make all the passes, and if you get too conservative, he’ll take off on you and pick up some yards. C.J is a fun quarterback to play against, and I look forward to playing against him again this year.”

Illinois defensive end Dawuane Smoot found the experience to be lacking the fun. He sacked Beathard once in a 29-20 loss the week after the Wisconsin game, but he also saw the Hawkeye quarterback slip through his grasp twice while passing for 200 yards and two touchdowns.

“It makes you a little mad, because when you get close he can escape the pocket at any second if someone gets out of their gap,” Smoot said at the Big Ten football media days gathering. “You’ve still got to chase him; you’ve still got to run him down either way.”

It’s that elusiveness and ability to throw accurately on the run that makes Beathard, a second-team all-Big Ten pick a year ago, so maddening to handle, opponents say. And that’s despite the fact that he played injured in the final 12 games of Iowa’s 12-2 season, nursing a groin injury and eventually having off-season hernia surgery.

Beathard says he’s 100 percent healthy, heading into the season, and he's hoping to run some more. That could be bad news for defenses, but it won’t come as a surprise this time.

Beathard said Tuesday he didn’t notice teams altering game plans to try to contain him as last season wore on and more game film became available.

“I think they started game-planning on just what we were doing that was successful — not necessarily me; not necessarily anybody in particular,” he said. “Some teams started loading the box (to stop the running game), and then we took advantage of it in some other ways. … If they’re going to try to stop one thing, they’re leaving another thing vulnerable, and it’s just a matter of taking advantage of that.”

Beathard passed for 2,809 yards and 17 touchdowns against only five interceptions. He completed an impressive 62 percent of his throws. He also ran for 237 yards and six touchdowns.

“He knows where to go with it — that’s the most important thing — he is really good, in terms of getting the ball out and ball placement,” Purdue coach Darrell Hazell said. “And he’s a tough guy; he’s a great leader.”

“If they’re going to try to stop one thing, they’re leaving another thing vulnerable, and it’s just a matter of taking advantage of that.”

C.J. Beathard

Iowa quarterback Chuck Long said Beathard presents defensive coordinators with their most vexing problem.

“He can move out of the pocket and extend plays, especially on third down — those are the dangerous guys,” Long said.

“He’s one of the most accurate passers I’ve seen in college football on the run. And he keeps his eyes down the field. A lot of quarterbacks, when they break the pocket, just want to run the ball. He looks to throw first, which makes him even more dangerous, because then you’ve got to stay in your coverage. And if you stay in your coverage and there’s nobody there, then he can make that run and get a lot of yardage off of it.”

Beathard enters this season with plenty of acclaim. He is considered by many to be the best NFL Draft prospect among senior quarterbacks. He is bound to encounter more defenses designed to do what Michigan State’s did in the Big Ten championship game in December — make him one-dimensional.

The Spartans sacked Beathard three times in that 16-13 victory, while he broke free for one 85-yard touchdown strike. That tradeoff was fine by them, linebacker Riley Bullough said Tuesday.

“You really know you can’t stop (Beathard) completely,” Bullough said. “He made some great plays that game. We just tried to limit him as best as we could, and I think, for the most part, we did do that.”

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard runs for a first down as Iowa StateÕs Mitchell Meyers defends Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016 during the Cy-Hawk football game at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.
Michael Zamora/The Register

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard looks down field for an open receiver during the Hawkeyes' game against Iowa State at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016.
David Scrivner / Iowa City Press-Citizen

C.J. Beathard led Iowa to the Rose Bowl, but couldn't cap a magical 2015 season with a victory. "That was the one game we didn't show up for," he said glumly, of a 45-16 loss to Standford.
Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard throws during a March 30, 2016, open practice at the Iowa Football Performance Center. Beathard had offseason sports-hernia surgery but looked A-OK in his 40 minutes of media-exposed practice time.
David Scrivner, Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) huddles with his teammates during the third quarter in the Big Ten Conference football championship game against the Michigan State Spartans at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Aaron Doster/USA TODAY Sports

Iowa junior quarterback CJ Beathard stretches across the goal line to score a touchdown in the second quarter against Pitt on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

C.J. Beathard answers questions during a news conference at the L.A. Hotel Downtown on Sunday, Dec. 27. The Hawkeyes are preparing to play Stanford in the 2016 Rose Bowl.
Jay Christensen/Special to the Register

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard jogs to practice at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 27. The Hawkeyes are in final preparation for their Jan. 1 matchup against Stanford in the 2016 Rose Bowl.
Jay Christensen/Special to the Register

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) is protected by left guard Sean Welsh (79) and Cole Croston (64) against Illinois on Oct. 10. Iowa moved James Daniels to right tackle on an emergency basis that game when Ike Boettger got hurt.
Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

From left, Iowa's Boone Myers, Cole Croston, Jordan Walsh and C.J. Beathard head to the sidelines during Saturday's Big Ten championship game loss to Michigan State.
David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard looks for an open receiver during the Hawkeyes' Big Ten Championship game against Michigan State at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015.
David Scrivner / Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) is congratulated by Iowa linebacker Eric Grimm (45) after throwing a long touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter against Michigan State during the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 5, 2015.
Mykal McEldowney/The Star

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) is flushed from the pocket and looks to the sideline against Michigan State during the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 5, 2015.
Mykal McEldowney/The Star

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard runs down field during the Hawkeyes' Big Ten Championship game against Michigan State at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015.
David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard gets a pat on the chest from head coach Kirk Ferentz after an interception during the Hawkeyes' Big Ten Championship game against Michigan State at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015.
David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen